Compiled by Jim Hoxsey (jjhoxsey@vela.acs.oakland.edu).
Special thanks to Mark Phaedrus (phaedrus@milton.u.washington.edu).
"Whirlwind" and "Million Plus" are registered trademarks of Williams
Electronic Games, Inc. (C) 1990 Chicago, IL.
NOTE: These rules are compiled from hours on end of continuous play of
"Whirlwind" and are as accurate as possible to the author's best
knowledge. If there are any discrepancies, please notify the author.
OBJECT OF THE GAME
To move the storm to your area by hitting various direction
targets. Lock two balls, and start Multiball by locking a third
and/or hitting the 3-toll ramp.
STARTING THE GAME
One to four players can play. New players can enter the game
by inserting coins and pressing Start until the end of the first
ball; after that, pressing Start aborts the current game for all
players and begins a new one.
PLUNGER SKILL SHOT
Shoot the ball from the plunger to hit one or more of the
"FEEL THE POWER" drop targets. 100K for "POWER", 200K for "THE"
and 300K for "FEEL". Hitting more than one target will add their
values together.
SO YOU MESSED UP...
A ball that is launched and doesn't hit a single playfield
target will be re-served. NOTE: This only happens on the FIRST
time a ball is served for a player. This does not apply after a
ball is locked or the ball ends up in the plunger lane by bouncing
over the wall.
MOVING THE STORM
Scattered about the playfield are eight(8) targets. Two of
each: NE (Northeast), NW (Northwest), SE (Southeast), and SW
(Southwest). These are easily noted by either the letters on them
or color: NE/Red, NW/Yellow, SE/Orange, and SW/Green. A target is
spotted for the player when he launches his 'first' ball of each
ball. The targets the player must hit are lit on the compass at
the center of the playfield. Once all these targets are hit, lock
will lite.
After locking ball 1, the player must hit different targets to
lite lock 2. After locking ball 2, Multiball will lite.
The set of targets for the first Multiball can be hit in any
order. From the second time on, only one direction can be hit at
a time. Only when both of those targets are hit, will another
direction lite.
SKYWAY TOLLS
Skyway Tolls are collected throughout the game. The number
collected and how are:
Skyway Ramp -- 1 or 2, depending on status of the "2 Tolls"
lite.
Cup -- 1.
3-Toll Ramp -- Of course, 3.
At the end of a ball, the player will recieve 2K for each
Skyway Toll collected. No more than 99 Skyway Tolls can be
collected. If 99 Skyway Tolls are collected, then the player has
their "SKYWAY PAID FOR" and receive 200K (Plus a neat little tune)
each time a ramp is hit.
SKYWAY RAMP(Right)
This ramp is used to advance Skyway Tolls and lock balls. Its
entrance can be either open(down) or closed(up).
When open, the ball will be returned to the left inlane, and
either one or two Skyway Tolls will be collected. Going through
the left inlane or going up the ramp will briefly lite 2 tolls.
The Tornado Drop Target's value will also increase briefly. The
point value of this ramp also increases with each successful run.
It starts at 50K and increases by 10K each time up to a maximum of
100K.
When closed, the ball will land in a cup and be ejected toward
the upper right flipper. One Skyway Toll will be collected for
entering the cup.
The ramp's current status depends on a number of things.
Entering the Super Cellar Door (either lit or not lit) will toggle
its status, unless Multiball of either flavor is in progress, in
which case it will remain closed.
In a one player game, the ramp will be open while regular lock
is lit. In a two or more player game, the ramp will be open or
closed while regular lock is lit depending on how many balls are
physically locked to the number that the current player is trying
to lock. If the number that are physically locked is greater than
the number that the player is trying to get to, then the ramp will
be closed. Otherwise, it will be open.
If Multiball of either flavor is lit, the ramp will be closed.
The ramp will be open at the beginning of a player's turn,
unless one of the above rules applies to keep it closed.
3-TOLL RAMP(Left)
This ramp is used to collect 3 Skyway Tolls, spot a target (if
lock isn't lit or Multiball isn't in progress), lite the Super
Cellar Door, collect Million and/or Million Plus, and start
Multiball. Its value starts at 50K and increases by 10K each time
up to a maximum of 100K. This ramp returns the ball to a point
somewhere near the lower SE target, usually on the right spinning
platter.
SUPER CELLAR DOOR(Yellow light)
This amazing little device is quite useful. To lite the door
temporarily, the ball must traverse the right inlane. To lite it
permanently (until entered), the 3-Toll Ramp must be hit.
Depending on the difficulty level of your machine, this may or
may not be lit at the beginning of a ball.
The awards that can be lit are labeled on the backglass just
below the score display. The value can be changed using the
spinner located to the right of the Skyway Ramp.
Entering this target will toggle the status of the Skyway
Ramp, unless lock is lit (or will be lit by the Super Cellar Door)
in which case it remains closed. Also, one Cellar Visit will be
awarded.
The seven awards are:
"LO PRESSURE JETS ALL AT MAXIMUM" -- Will increase the point
value of the Lo Pressure Jets to 5K (flashing).
"SUPER DOOR SCORE 500,000" -- Increases the player's score by
500K.
"EXTRA BALL IS LIT" -- Lites the extra ball target. Only lit
until collected or ball is lost.
"DROP TARGET AT MAXIMUM" -- Sets the value of the "FEEL THE
POWER" drop targets to 100K.
"QUICK MULTIBALL IS LIT" -- Lites Quick Multiball.
"MILLION IS LIT" -- Lites the Million shot.
"HI PRESSURE JETS ALL AT MAXIMUM" -- Will increase the point
value of the Hi Pressure Jets to 5K (flashing).
The Super Cellar Door is disabled during Quick Multiball or
Multiball.
When all seven values are collected, all values will flash,
and the Super Cellar Door will lite. Entering the Super Cellar
Door at this point awards MEGA DOOR BONUS. MEGA DOOR BONUS awards
all seven values AGAIN as well as 2,000,000 points and lites ONE
Special. NOTE: Extra Ball can only be collected from the Super
Cellar Door about four times before it will no longer be
collectable (it will automatically lite the box on the backglass).
Also, Special can only be collected approximately twice. These
values may differ on your machine, depending on difficulty setting.
Once the MEGA DOOR BONUS is collected, the Super Cellar Door
will award nothing until the current ball has been lost.
THE CELLAR DOOR(Red light)
This device is similar to the Super Cellar Door, but will not
award anything except a Cellar Visit. Cellar Visits are worth 5K
each and are cumulative through the entire game. The point value
is awarded at the end of each ball. This is where the ball will
come out if the ball enters it or the Super Cellar Door.
It is also used to start Cellar Multiball. Cellar Multiball
is only possible if Multiball was started, and no Million Plus was
awarded. A player normally has 15 seconds after two balls are lost
on Multiball to collect Cellar Multiball. Cellar Multiball is
basically Multiball with only two balls. When the red light is
flashing, enter the Cellar Door. A ball will be ejected to the
plunger lane. Launch this and the 2nd ball will be ejected from
the Cellar. Normal Multiball rules apply. Either the Super Cellar
Door or the Cellar Door may be entered to start Cellar Multiball.
"FEEL THE POWER" DROP TARGET
These three drop targets are used for the Skill Shot.
Dropping all three of these targets awards the drop value. It
starts at 50K and increases to 100K in increments of 10K. Sweeping
(hitting all three simutaneously) is 100K + current drop value.
The drop value can be set to 100K immediately by using the Super
Cellar Door.
TORNADO DROP TARGET
This drop target's value varies, depending on trips up the
Skyway Ramp and the time between them. The initial value of this
target varies depending on the difficulty setting. The values are
50K, 75K, 100K, 150K, LITE QUICK MULTIBALL, and EXTRA BALL. Each
trip up the Skyway Ramp lites the next highest value all the way to
LITE QUICK MULTIBALL. Point values can be collected more than
once, but Quick Multiball can only be collected once each time it
is lit. See EXTRA BALLS to see how to lite the EXTRA BALL target.
After a certain point, LITE QUICK MULTIBALL can no longer be
lit.
LO/HI PRESSURE JETS
These bumpers are like any other jet bumpers on most Williams
games. Their point value is advanced by the platter in front of
the center Hi Pressure Jet. Hitting this target will advance one
jet bumper. The values are:
Unlit -- 1,000
Lit -- 3,000
Flashing -- 5,000
When all bumpers are flashing, the platter is worth 100K. The
bumpers can also be maxed out with the Super Cellar Door.
THE FAN AND SPINNING DISKS
What makes Whirlwind what it is. They usually are operational at
the same times. When a lock of any flavor is lit, or when a Multiball
of either kind is in progress. The fan does nothing to game play, but
the disks will wreak havoc with the ball(s) in play. This sometimes
produces quite interesting results, as well as frustrating ones....
QUICK MULTIBALL
Quick Multiball can be lit from either the Tornado Drop Target or
the Super Cellar Door. It is started by locking a ball in the cup
under the Skyway Ramp when Quick Multiball is lit. If none or one
ball is physically locked, then a normal Quick Multiball is started:
A ball is ejected into the plunger lane. When a playfield target
is struck, the ball in the cup will be ejected. Unlimited Million is
lit. This continues until one ball is lost. Direction targets can
still be hit during Quick Multiball. The 3-Toll Ramp will award
1,000,000, 3 Skyway Tolls, and spot a direction target (if any need be
spotted).
If two balls are physically locked, then normal Multiball will be
started, except 1,000,000 will be awarded in addition to each Million
Plus collected.
After a certain point, Quick Multiball can no longer be lit from
the Tornado Drop Target.
LOCKING A BALL
This will vary between one and two player games. In general, a
player must 'lock' two balls before they can start Multiball. In a
two or more player game, if a player does lock two balls, then fails
to start Multiball, another player may 'steal' those balls with a
Quick Multiball. Basically, before a player can play Multiball, there
must be two balls physically locked. Physically locked balls are
those that are sitting in the lock lane on the left hand side of the
machine.
Locking a ball will advance the Bonus Multiplier. The Bonus
Multiplier will multiply the Skyway Tolls value at the end of a ball.
The values are 2X, 3X, 4X, 5X, 6X+Lite Extra Ball, and 6X+Lite
Special. The bonus multiplier will not exceed 6X. A player cannot
'loose' the multiplier value if another player steals their locked
ball(s).
"FEEL THE POWER" MULTIBALL
Multiball is started by locking two balls and then releasing them
with a third. They can be released two ways, by hitting the 3-Toll
Ramp (which will award 1,000,000 and three tolls), or locking a ball
in the cup. The latter will only work up to a point, then Multiball
must be started by hitting the 3-Toll Ramp.
Once more than one ball is in play, Million Plus will be lit.
Hitting the 3-Toll Ramp will score 2,000,000. This will increase by
1,000,000 each time to a maximum of 10,000,000. If at least one
Million Plus is collected before loosing two balls, normal play will
resume. Otherwise, Cellar Multiball will lite. See CELLAR DOOR(Red
light) for details.
3-WAY COMBO
Going between the Lo Pressure Jets to the upper right flipper,
around the Hi Pressure Jets and back to the upper right flipper again
and finally up the 3-Toll Ramp scores a 3-Way Combo (plus an awesome
siren). The 3-Way Combo will score only 250K, as well as the points
that the 3-Toll Ramp is currently worth. All these targets must be
hit in order, with no other targets in between (except the neccessary
direction targets and the spinner).
EXTRA BALLS
Extra Balls can be obtained only by hitting the Tornado Drop
Target when Extra Ball is lit. There are three ways to lite Extra
Ball:
Skyway Tolls -- Depending on the setting of your machine, this
can be from 5 Skyway Tolls to 50. Also, the number of 'stops' that
will lite it can vary. For instance these can be 8, 35, 50, and 75.
Or 35 and 50. Use the Instant Info feature to find out how many are
needed. A tone will sound to let you know that Extra Ball is lit.
Will remain lit until collected or remainder of game.
Super Cellar Door -- Can only be collected a finite number of
times, usually four: two from hitting it while lit and two from the
Mega Door Bonus. No tone will sound to let you know it is lit. This
will remain lit until collected or current ball is lost.
Locking the 5th ball -- Once and only once. Will remain lit
until collected or remainder of the game.
SPECIALS
Specials can be collected only from the outlanes. There are only
two ways to lite Special:
Mega Door Bonus -- Will only happen 1 or two times. Depending on
the difficulty settings. Will only remain lit until collected or
current ball is lost.
Locking the 6th ball -- Once and only once. A tone will let you
know it is lit. Will remain list until collected or end of game.
If only one Special lite is lit, the lit lane will toggle between
left and right each time a slingshot it hit.
DIFFICULTY SETTINGS
Oddly enough, I could not find anyways to determine the setting.
Most features are set individually. You'll have to discover these for
yourself.
5-BALL MACHINES
I've never seen one of these since 1980. I have no idea what
options are changed if set for five balls.
MECHANICAL FAILURES
I currently only know of one mechanical failure that the machine
can compensate for immediately. This is the Skyway Ramp. If it is
left open (down) and will not rise, Multiball and Quick-Multiball can
still be started. If the CPU sees three balls in the lock lane, it
will start Multiball. This can, of course, wreak havoc in
multi-player games. %)
The Skyway Ramp will only award one Skyway Toll during Multiball
of either type, or when the ramp should be closed during regular play.
You will notice sometimes that the 2 Toll lamp will not lite when the
ball enters the left inlane. This means that the ramp should be
closed (raised).
Written by Jim Hoxsey (jjhoxsey@vela.acs.oakland.edu)